ABU DHABI – Sean O’Malley doesn’t think Petr Yan wanted to fight him.

The rising UFC star believes the former UFC bantamweight champion was forced into taking a fight with him at Saturday’s UFC 280 pay-per-view event. Despite being the underdog coming into the contest, O’Malley (15-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) says Yan (16-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) was likely going to turn him down but was instead forced by the UFC into agreeing to the matchup.

“He was the only guy after that Pedro Munhoz fight (when) I went back to the UFC and said, ‘Hey, I want to book a fight,’” O’Malley told reporters at the UFC 280 media day. “Obviously that wasn’t a satisfying victory. Petr was literally the only guy in the top 10 without a fight.

“He turned down Chito. He turned down Chito, so I don’t think he really had an option. I think the UFC probably went to him and said, ‘Hey, you can’t just keep turning these guys down. You have to fight the ‘Suga Show.’

“I know he was saying that he picked that fight, but I don’t believe that. I think he got bullied into it.”

O’Malley is coming off a no contest against veteran Pedro Munhoz at UFC 276 in July. On the other hand, Yan was last seen in a very closely contested title unification bout against champion Aljamain Sterling back in April at UFC 273.

O’Malley scored the fight for the champion, but does admit it was a very competitive bout.

“It’s hard to say you won when Aljo took his back I think like three different rounds and held him for a little bit,” O’Malley said. “I don’t know, I’d have to rewatch it, but I think the last time I rewatched it I have the edge to Aljo, but it was definitely close still.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 280.